A Pinch of December Festivities

Does gluttony exist in December? Or does it go on vacation from being a “deadly sin”? It’s safe to say that food and beverages have led the way through the first half of December. But what’s one supposed to do when there’s so much worth celebrating?

There was no shortage of both dining in and dining out this week. No wasting time to talk through all the fun and great eats… but first, let’s appreciate the incredible snow that capped the weekend oh so perfectly.

A Holiday Bake Off Before Our Holiday Party

Happy to share the bake off co-champ award with a friend, aka work buddy, Alex. I made a Pain Suisse Babka from Red Currant Bakery, and Alex made a pumpkin crumble that was well-worth the votes. Lots of great cookies and treats – seems like more people need to bring in treats more often, I’ll take a break.

Now, the holiday party at The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company. Essentially a family party taking over the speakeasy, where everyone was dressed to the nines, celebrating the crazy year it’s been and that we have ahead. Here’s to 2026. Grateful to have this bunch to take it on.

A Whole Illata Love

Mentioned a few months ago, this spot right in my neighborhood is quickly becoming a not-so-hidden gem, especially thanks to the Michelin Recommended nod from Philly’s first Michelin guide. It was really cool to see the fall menu that we had back on its first day tweaked for another great experience.

My favorite bite this time has to go to the Mackerel in a ginger broth. Or maybe the lobster with the cabbage and potatoes. But I can’t forget about the chicory salad… and the marinated mussels, especially in season. Okay, you get the point. It’s all really damn good. They know what they’re doing… and I didn’t even mention the desserts…

Scampi, a Transcendental Experience

My family joined me for my birthday meal out in the city at Scampi. Little did we know that it would be like walking into someone’s apartment living room (which is actually what chef Liz Grothe started doing before opening up this small experience in Queen Village).

The perfectly-paced meal is based on a different region of Italy each week, and we lucked out with a curated meal in ode to Sardinia (and a small nod to Sicily for dessert – a nice touch to my mom’s family’s roots). Seafood forward, which you can probably assume from the name, the five courses were cohesive and left us stuffed, just like any good at-home meal would feel. I left feeling like I was transported out of the city for a bit to an unknown space, which is probably the best feeling when the bites were that good.

My favorite bite: the culurgiones, pleated pasta, similar to a pierogi, stuffed with smoked trout, cheese, dill and potatoes with creme fraiche… a true labor of love.

Time for a Run Before More Celebrations

The temps hit back into the 40s and my body needed movement. The first run since the marathon, five miles all around the city hitting my favorite spots along the trail. I credit those miles to keeping me sane through all of this.

Now here’s my formal request for 2026 to bring back house parties. A friend and his roommates threw a wholesome Christmas party that checked all the boxes of a fun house party. The celebrations went on so long that the 3 a.m. snow showers on the 5-min walk home had me beaming.

I Promise I Did Make Food This Week: Sunday Stew

Normally the weekends are when you enjoy meals out, but this past week was flipped, and no complaints here because my meals actually set up the week for some great leftovers. Saturday night was set with a nice stir fry, but the real meal worth highlighting goes to the Sunday Beef Stew.

A mix of my mom’s recipe and this NYTimes Food with a 5-star rating from 28,000+ review. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a lot of time simmering on the stove. So long that I even had time to make this highly-recommended “quick” table loaf from Sally’s Baking Addiction in a few hours as well.

After all that food and action, I haven’t gotten around to planning out the Christmas meals just yet with my family… so stay tuned for next week for any last minute meal inspo. Passing the birthday-celebration baton to my older brother, whose big day is tomorrow – everybody say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYAN! We’ll be enjoying his annual ask of pasta sauce, spaghetti and meatballs before heading to a night at Longwood Gardens (where allegedly the hot chocolate is a must).

Here’s to more gluttony (remember: it’s allowed) 🤘